


An Exchange of Sorts

by hatehateslove



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 07:18:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11054046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hatehateslove/pseuds/hatehateslove
Summary: Andrew never failed to surprise Neil.





	An Exchange of Sorts

Fox-Raven games at home were always the biggest games of the season for Palmetto. The most people came out to watch, they lasted the longest, they were usually the most fast-paced, and everyone knew it was much bigger than the players when it came to the Foxes vs. the Ravens.

This time was no different. It didn’t matter that it was only the beginning of the season, the Foxes practiced like they had everything to lose. The new recruits were tired of the extra practices and refused to show up for the one night practice that even Dan had asked them to come to.

Come game day the people came through. Raven fans mixed into the growing crowd of mostly orange. The fans were lined up to get in two hours before the game was set to start.

The players came out to the cheers and boos of the mixed crowd. It was the fast paced game they hd all come to watch. The price they paid for it, was no score.

Every time a Raven came close to the Foxes goal, Matt and their backliners shut them down, and if they got past them, Andrew didn’t flinch. And every time a Fox got close to the Ravens goal, their backliners made sure to push back with everything they had.

It was intense, the crowd ‘ooh’ing and ‘ahh’ing every time someone came close to making a goal. And when Andrew caught the ball by falling to his knees and stopping the ball under his knee guard the crowd was roaring.

Kevin was having a hard time getting past the Raven’s defense. Neil wasn’t faring much better. They were going hard, giving it their all and they still weren’t making any points. They had taken at least 4 shots at the goal, and each time Neil could feel the lump at the base of his throat growing.

The buzzer rang for half-time. The players made their way off the field. Wymack led them into the locker room.

“Okay,” he sighed, looking as tired as he sounded. “We got this.” It was said more to himself at first. “You got this.” He repeated, looking up into all their faces. “One goal. One point. Nothing we haven’t done before. Nothing you can’t handle -”

Neil had tuned Wymack out. His hearing was tunneling, he felt nauseous. He swallowed, his stomach turning. His brow furrowed in a grimace, what the hell was going on?

“-there and prove it.” Wymack’s words were the last thing Neil heard before he bolted for the bathroom.

“Neil?” Matt called after him, he started to go after him, but Andrew had started moving as soon as Neil had gotten up.

Andrew made his way behind Neil, stopping at the door to the stall where Neil was dry heaving. He watched unamused and only stepped back as Neil straightened and moved past him.  

Neil sighed at his reflection as he closed the tap. “ -‘m not good enough.” he muttered to himself, not entirely meaning for Andrew to hear.

Andrew didn’t say anything, just stood behind Neil, looking at him through his reflection. Neil sighed, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting, he didn’t think Andrew was going to reply anyway. He closed his eyes and let his head fall forward, his hands on the sink.

“Bullshit.” Came Andrew’s steady voice a moment later, not from where he had been standing behind Neil, but from beside him. Neil chewed on his bottom lip, not saying anything back — grateful that Andrew had said anything at all. “Let’s go, halftime’s almost up.”

Neil took a few steadying breaths, then nodded to himself. “Yeah.” He swallowed, “Let’s go.”

They walked into the locker room. Neil went to find a drink and Andrew presumably went to sit down for the remainder of halftime. Wymack had looked up when they’d come in, they both nodded at him, reassuring him that everything was fine. Wymack’s brow furrowed but he didn’t say anything else.

They got back onto the field and played just as hard as they had done the first half, but the Ravens pushed back with just as much ferocity. The second half went almost exactly the same as the first half. But with less attempts on the goals, because both teams defenses were playing so well.

They were down to the last minute and Neil didn’t know if they could play as hard as they were into over time. 

All of a sudden Aaron was playing rougher than usual, a ferocity that rivaled then overtook the Raven guarding him. Neil’s brow furrowed in confusion, maybe Aaron’s mark had said something to piss him off enough to play better?

Aaron had the ball and took a step forward, then hesitated, as if he were unsure.

“Aaron!” Neil yelled, his voice hoarse, hoping Aaron would throw him the ball quick enough. Aaron looked up delayed, as if not recognizing he was being yelled at, then locked eyes with Neil.

Neil’s breath left is chest in a huff, he didn’t know if he were more shocked or confused, perhaps surprised was the right word for it.

Andrew threw him the ball with the accuracy Aaron could never manage. Neil caught it and took off running, he only made it 3 steps before he was caged behind his two marks. He threw the ball back to Andrew and ran forward again, turned just in time to see the ball coming back his way. He and Andrew were too fast for the Ravens, Neil was running before they’d realized he’d even caught the ball.

When he was close enough to the Raven’s goal, he sidestepped their backliner and threw the ball sideways.

Straight into Kevin’s net.

Kevin didn’t wait, he launched the ball without moving a step. Neil saw the walls light up red, but didn’t hear the buzzer sound. He looked around in confusion then realized the cheers of the crowd had completely drowned out the buzzer.

The final buzzer rang. 

Neil looked back at Kevin who had a small smile on his face, nodded at him and turned to look farther down the field.

He locked eyes once again with the Minyard in the wrong position. Neil smiled with a shake of his head.

Andrew never failed to surprise him.


End file.
